The war gets its name from a Danish official nicknamed Sagbadre, meaning "gulp" or "swallow" in Ewe, who was mistreated by the Anlo Ewe. This incident, along with various raids made into Danish-Norwegian territory against Ada in 1783, were used as justification by Danish-Norwegian Governor Kiøge to launch an expedition against Anlo in order to secure trade rights.[2]
Anlo had previously acquired a significant amount of territory from its neighbours in various wars, and knowing this the Danish-Norwegians sought to form an overwhelming alliance in order to effectively crush Anlo.
The resulting force numbered 4,000 in total, with Little Popo contributing the most troops at 1,100, and Denmark-Norway contributing only a handful, and Oto Brafo, Chief of Osu, acting as commander. These included Governor Kiøge himself, and Paul Erdmann Isert, who would later go on to write about his experience in the conflict.[3][4]
The Ada-Danish Alliance opened the campaign by sailing along the Volta River on war canoes mounted with Dane guns. While Isert admitted the Anlo showed advanced tactics, they were no match for the sheer force of the Alliance. Keta, who had initially started off the war on the side of Anlo, abandoned their ally when it became apparent the allies were winning.
During the course of the conflict the towns of Woe, Tegbi and Pottebra were razed, culminating in the razing of the Anlo capitol Anloga as the Danes lost control of their native troops. Although many Anlo defenders had fled Anloga in advance of the alliance,[5] the defenders managed to inflict casualties upon the allies with Isert reporting 40 natives wounded and several killed, including some who committed suicide believing the battle to be lost. Isert asserts that Anlo Ewe casualties were heavier, with at least 13 being decapitated.[4] Anlogan Civilians fled to Veta and Klikor.[5]
In Ofoly Bussum, Prince of Glidji, negotiated a treaty with the Anlo Ewe on June 18. The treaty returned territory Anlo had previously acquired from all allied tribes and secured a Danish-Norwegian trade monopoly as well as the construction of Fort Prinzenstein. The warriors of Little Popo guarded the fort's construction, and Prince Ofoly Bussum received a monthly sum from it thereafter.[6]
Anlo commander Adagla drowned himself in a river rather than return home from defeat.[1]
Keta is a coastal town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is the capital of the Keta Municipal District.
The Anlo Ewe are a sub-group of the Ewe people of approximately 6 million people, inhabiting southern Togo, southern Benin, southwest Nigeria, and south-eastern parts of the Volta Region of Ghana; meanwhile, a majority of Ewe are located in the entire southern half of Togo and southwest Benin. They are a patrilineal society governed by a hierarchal, centralized authority. Their language is a dialect of the Ewe language, itself part of the Gbe language cluster. The Ewe religion is centered on the Supreme God, Mawu and several intermediate divinities. Christianity has been accepted in every part of Anlo Ewe land, with a minority of people still practicing traditional Vodun beliefs. The Vodu religion is slowly becoming a previous religion among the Anlo Ewes, with the youth of the community today practicing Christianity much more. However, those who still practice the Vodu religion also believe their tradition is a factor that keeps integrity and probit, while Christianity stands to pave way for integrity, honesty and probity to be washed away as years go by. It is for this reason that some Anlo Ewe people do away with Christianity when it comes to issues of accountability.
Paul Erdmann Isert was a German-Danish surgeon, botanist and planter
Danish overseas colonies and Dano-Norwegian colonies were the colonies that Denmark–Norway possessed from 1536 until 1953. At its apex, the colonies spanned four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.
Kusi Obodom was the 3rd Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire from 1750 to 1764. He was elected as the successor to Opoku Ware I as opposed to the nominee suggested by Opoku Ware I. Obodom's reign was inaugurated with a civil war in response to his election until stability ensued by 1751.
Opoku Ware I was the 2nd Asantehene of Oyoko heritage, who ruled the Ashanti Empire. Between 1718 and 1722, Opoku Ware became Asantehene during a period of civil disorder after the death of the 1st Asanthene. From 1720 to 1721, Opoku established his power.
The Danish Gold Coast comprised the colonies that Denmark–Norway controlled in Africa as a part of the Gold Coast, which is on the Gulf of Guinea. It was colonized by the Dano-Norwegian fleet, first under indirect rule by the Danish West India Company, later as a crown colony of the kingdom of Denmark-Norway. The area under Danish influence was over 10,000 square kilometres.
Osei Kwadwo was the 4th Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire who reigned from 1764 to 1777. Osei Kwadwo was elected in replacement of Kusi Obodom who was removed out of power.
Fort Prinzenstein is a fort located at Keta, Ghana, which was used in the slave trade. Many such forts were built in Africa, but Prinzenstein is one of the few that lie east of the Volta River. Keta served as an open port until the Tema Harbour commenced its operation to the west in 1962. The fort has been designated a World Heritage Site because of its historical importance and testimony to the Atlantic slave trade.
Akwamu was a state set up by the Akwamu people in present-day Ghana. After migrating from Bono state, the Akan founders of Akwamu settled in Twifo-Heman. The Akwamu led an expansionist empire in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the peak of their empire, Akwamu extended 400 kilometres (250 mi) along the coast from Ouidah, Benin in the East to Winneba, Ghana, in the West.
The 1733 slave insurrection on St. John or the Slave Uprising of 1733, was a slave insurrection started on Sankt Jan in the Danish West Indies on November 23, 1733, when 150 African slaves from Akwamu, in present-day Ghana, revolted against the owners and managers of the island's plantations. Led by Breffu, an enslaved woman from Ghana, and lasting several months into August 1734, the slave rebellion was one of the earliest and longest slave revolts in the Americas. The Akwamu slaves captured the fort in Coral Bay and took control of most of the island. They intended to resume crop production under their control.
Keta Lagoon, also called Anlo-Keta lagoon, is the largest of the over 90 lagoons that cover the 550 km stretch of the coastline of Ghana. This lagoon is 126.13 km in length. It is located in the eastern coast of Ghana and separated from the Gulf of Guinea by a narrow strip of sandbar. This open salty water is surrounded by flood plains and mangrove swamps. Together they form the Keta Lagoon Ramsar site which covers 1200 km2
Anloga is a town in Keta District of the Volta Region in southeast Ghana. It lies east of the Volta River and just south of the Keta Lagoon. Anloga is the forty-seventh most populous town in Ghana, in terms of population, with a population of 35,933 people.
Agbozume or Klikor-Agbozume is a town in Ketu Municipal District in the Volta Region of southeastern Ghana. The main language spoken is the Ewe language.
Anlo Afiadenyigba is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. The town is located on the eastern part of the Keta Lagoon.
The Hogbetsotso festival(pronounced Hogbechocho) is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Anlo in the Volta Region of Ghana. Some major Anlo towns include Anloga (capital), Keta, Kedzi, Vodza, Whuti, Srogboe, Tegbi, Dzita, Abor, Anlo Afiadenyigba, Anyako, Konu, Alakple, Atsito, Atiavi, Deʋegodo, Atorkor, Tsiame and many other villages. The festival is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in the month of November at Anloga, the customary and ritual capital of the Anlo state. The name of the festival is derived from the Ewe language and translates as the festival of exodus. or "coming from Hogbe (Notsie)". The celebration of the festival was instituted about four decades ago.
The Avenor Ewe are a sub-tribe of the Ewe people of Ghana. The origin of the name Avenor is not known. Avenor could be loosely translated as forest dwellers.
Alakple is a town in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. This town is situated along the south western part of the Keta lagoon. The bust of the prominent African American boxer Muhammad Ali is planted at the junction along the Anloga and Dabala road. That road leads to Alakple. This town is prominent for the historical role it plays in the area. It is the home of the Nyigbla, 'god of war' who rode on horseback. The major clan in the town is Ameawo who are the custodians or clan responsible for nugbidodo 'settling disputes'. They are also believed to have control of all palm trees in Anloland. As custodians of Torgbi Nyigbla there are many taboos related to their dressing and food. for instance they are forbidden to wear shirts or blouse and sandals within the shrine.
King OkaiKoi was a warrior king who formed the Akwashong, supreme military command, which provided the basis of renewal of Ga-Dangme military power.
The Dano-Dutch colonial conflict on the Gold Coast was a colonial conflict between the Danes and Dutch over the control of European fortifications on the Gold Coast. Denmark-Norway, assisted by England, defeated the Dutch in various places, although Michiel de Ruyter retaliated against the English by recapturing all forts but Cape Coast. This forced the Royal African Company into bankruptcy, which started the Second Anglo-Dutch War.
↑ Afeadie, Philip Atsu (2015). "Fort Prindzenstein: A Monument in the Identity of Keta-Someawo". Ghana Studies. 18 (2015): 3–22. doi:10.1353/ghs.2015.0000. S2CID162504800.
7. Greene, Sandra E. Gender, Ethnicity, and Social Change on the Upper Slave Coast: A History of the Anlo-Ewe (1996): Heinemann/James Currey. pp. 82-83, 120 n.19.
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Ada- Danish Alliance 
